LindaS

I'm not great about structured exercise but I do track what I burn and only occasionally eat back just a small portion of those calories. Only if I feel a real, genuine need to eat and have topped out my calorie limit for the day will I do it, and it's only happened a handful of times in more than two years.
I never quite trust that I really burned that many calories and I also think the idea of eating more because I exercised odd. I can understand it for serious athletes that need those calories and energy but I simply don't.
~Cheri

Wow MichiganChic thank you so much for your question. You are really making me think here. I guess most everything that I do now stems from a lot of reasons. One really big reason is that (like almost everyone else here) surgery was my last hope. It wasn't like I thought, "oh I'll give it a whirl and if it doesn't work out, no big deal." I was a bit of a research junkie about this surgery and I knew going into this that it would not be a miracle cure or a magic wand, and that it WOULD take a lot of effort on my part. And like almost everyone else here, I was GREAT at losing weight, but just not great at keeping it off. So I knew going in that would still be my cross to bear. Maintenance is for life. It's not some distant land that you reach and then it's all skittles and rainbows. It takes a concentrated effort to NOT put crap in my mouth. And there is just not a surgery ON THIS EARTH that will make those daily choices for you. Sure RNY can make people dump which is a huge incentive to stay away from sugar, but I chose the sleeve because I didn't want my surgery to control that aspect of my life. I could eat sugar all day long and gain all my weight back, but I CHOSE this path. I CHOSE to have 85% of my stomach removed. So I guess staying the course, and still working this tool is part of what I bargained for.
Another reason is that a lot of stuff HAS become automatic. I tend to eat a lot of the same core foods daily. eggs, greek yogurt, cheese, all kinds of meat, meatless soy burgers and sausage, and then I sprinkle in veggies, minimal fruit, whole wheat carbs, and yep even junk food. I'm not 100% perfect all the time but I would say I'm fairly good about 80% of the time. Do I fall off the wagon? Yep! Are there days when I'm exhausted counting calories, measuring my food, and just want to sit and reach my hand into a box of sugar Cereal and NOT CARE ABOUT how it's going to affect me? Yep! But then I have my little pity party and I pull myself back up and know that every meal is an opportunity. An opportunity to do better, to eat better, to feel better. So I make those daily choices. And I've learned that there IS NO FINISH LINE. I kinda thought there was. As much research as I did about the surgery, the pre-op, the post-op, the first week, the first 6 weeks, the first 6 months, the first year, I did NOT find a lot of information regarding "maintenance" or life down the road a bit. When I was sleeved in Oct. 2010, I was my surgeon's 15th sleeve. He did literallly thousands of Bands and RNY's, but sleeve territory was new. And finding post-ops that were 2, 3, 5, 10 years OUT from surgery was pretty much next to impossible. I think that is part of why I stay around here also because I've learned the hard way that maintenance is NOT all skittles and rainbows. It does take work, it does take effort but the results are worth putting in the effort.
I guess that would have been easier to say. The hard work is worth the results. THAT is what keeps me going.
I commend you for thinking about the future and not just living in the weight-loss mode. And more than that I really appreciate your question because it did make me think.
All the best to you and your journey!

You are welcome. I know most "vets" don't stick around but I'm trying to be here. I was my surgeon's 15th sleeve back in late 2010 and I know he's done a TON more but when I was first sleeved this place was a lifeline for me because I felt like I was breaking new ground. I'm guilty of "drifting" away when life gets busy but definitely trying to still be active around here.

My dad's dead because of complications due to his weight (over 450 pounds at 5'11"). He was overweight my entire life, and because of his weight, he wasn't an ACTIVE part of my life. He didn't go to my parent teacher conferences, we didn't throw the ball in the yard, he didn't go to my concerts or games. He sat, and I was his legs. At home, he sat in his chair. Out of the home, he sat in his car.
My dad missed SO much because of his weight. He had a chance at WLS when it was much riskier (about 30 years ago), and he chickened out.
Before he died, my dad was very ill. He was in and out of the hospital for the last 5 years of his life. When he would be hospitalized, he was there for months at a time. We have family photos visiting him in the hospital.
My kids don't remember him.
I remember him, but I was SO mad at him for so long because he let his weight interfere with his health and his duties at being MY dad. So yes, the surgery is dangerous, but so is NOT having surgery.
I want to be a mom to my kids, but I want to be a mom who is there and not sitting at home because I can't fit in the seats of the auditorium or walk up to the bleachers.

The research on WLS patients 5 plus years out with 10 pounds or less regain do three things: track their food, exercise and belong to a community/support group.
I'm 10 months post op and 16 months working with my medical team and tracking.
I think I would honestly consider why I want to stop tracking and evaluate my answer for long term success before I stopped. If I was bored of tracking that wouldn't be a good enough reason for me to risk regain, for example.

You can't listen to your friends. I am the exact height you are, and before surgery at 255 pounds, people were telling me that I wasn't fat, I wasn't obese, and I was "too skinny" to need weight-loss surgery.
They were wrong.
I am currently in the 170 to 175 range, and I have been as low as 169. I am still in the losing phase, and I am 21 months out from surgery. My weight fluctuates, and I have to WORK to lose, but I am determined to get into the "normal" BMI range, which is 161 pounds.
I will say that I was very happy in the 185-range. Personally, I wanted to be as far below 200 as I could be in order to give me as much room as possible to keep from ever going back over 200.
I know I weigh more than people realize, which is one reason I get told that I shouldn't lose more weight.
At my current weight, I am wearing medium shirts and size 10 jeans. My inches are 36-31-44. Is it any surprise that I carry my weight in my hips/thigh area?
When I started this journey, I thought my goal weight might be 140, but I quickly changed my mind. I've since realized that I don't know exactly what my "ultimate" goal will be. I know I am close. I know that even though I don't feel I'm done, I am very happy where I am at.
My current goal is to get into a normal BMI with wiggle room, which would be 155 pounds. I am not sure if I will actually stay there since I noticed wrinkles on belly as my weight dipped below 180 pounds. But I won't know unless I try it, so I am still working on losing more.
I log my food daily, I weigh several times a week, and I exercise several times a week (most weeks). This can't change if I want to keep from gaining weight.

well the good thing is if there are complications, it will surely make the news.

Down 80 pounds and I'm still going 15 weeks post op

This made me think of a hilarious quote in the movie, "Roxanne" with Steve Martin. After the volunteer fire department put out a structure fire, the whole town celebrated at the local pub. The Mayor stood on a table and said, "I would RATHER be with the people of this town.... than with the FINEST people in the world!"

I remember once when Oprah had lost a lot of weight...she heard that people were saying things like "Well, she's rich, it's easy to lose weight when someone cooks all of your food and does everything for you." She was talking about it on her show and basically said...she was the one who had to make healthful dietary choices every day and refuse her beloved Ruffles potato chips. Her wealth didn't do that for her. And she is the one who had to get her butt on the track and walk every day. She couldn't pay someone to do that for her.
I think it is so similar when people say that VSG is "the easy way out." We are the ones who have make sure that every morsel we put in our mouths is good fuel for our bodies and resist head hunger. The surgery doesn't do that for us. We're the ones who make special holiday meals for our families and then don't partake in most of it. The surgery doesn't do that for us. We're the ones who go to the gym even when the weather isn't good or we feel like going to bed early instead. The surgery doesn't do that for us. We're the ones who keep drinking (and drinking and drinking) Water when part of us would rather hang out with our old friend Diet Coke or Frozen Margarita. The surgery doesn't do that for us.
And you know what? I wouldn't have it any other way. Yes, the surgery is a tool, but I still feel that we own and deserve every hard-earned victory we see on the scale and every NSV. If others don't understand that, it's okay. I know that I haven't taken the easy way out, but I also know that what I'm doing is an investment in something very important--me. And that's something that money definitely can't buy.

My PCP said yes! She would refer me for the surgery!!!
I thought since I was right on the edge (40 BMI) that she would say just to diet and exercise. After all, she is a tall, thin woman who has never ever been overweight in her life. After making me feel pretty low about my pre-diabetes, low thyroid, sleep apnea, heartburn, joint pains and such due to my weight, I asked her how she felt about weight loss surgery. Her eyes flew open and she looked straight at me, paused for a second and said....."well, yes. That would take care of most, if not all of your problems. If you're up for it, I'll refer you."
She said that the lap band procedure or the sleeve would work well for me, being that both were reversible if I had problems. I was somewhat surprised that she thought the sleeve was reversible, but she just wasn't that knowledgeable about the procedure itself. I filled her in, and I know that she will go back and research it. But I'm not letting her off the hook....she said Yes!
Yay Yay Yay!
She also had an in house dietitian who will sponsor me for the 6 month diet requirement. She says the insurance will take the dietitian since she works under the physicians, and the insurance hasn't had a problem with that in the past.
I am over the top excited! Hopefully during the Christmas holidays (I get 2 weeks off from my school), I can have it done at that time and not have to worry about hurrying back to work afterwards!
Next year this time, I could be a healthy, fit and slender woman who will be ready for the first time in years to hit the beach!

I really wanted a before bed sandwich but the cat box needed to be done so I cleaned that first and I wasn't hungry anymore LOL

I've been driving the same car since 2005 and I have never been able to push the gas button without opening the door, due to my large abdomen getting in the way. I was finally able to push the gas button without opening the car door last week. It's funny because I didn't even realize that I had done it until I realized that my door was still locked.

I was going to leave this topic but it keeps pulling me back in.
Just for the record, I never insinuated that if you don't tell the world you are embarrased.
I meant WE as a whole should not be ashamed! There are people that DO tell others and are ashamed that we had to go this route, I for one was one of them. But I realized I was more ashamed about being almost 300 lbs!!!
My comment went a completely different way then it was supposed to and i'm sorry for that but I just want us all to not feel bad for the course we choose.
And yes I have seen people write on other boards that they would never tell anyone out of embarrassment.
maybe not all, but lets not act like there its no one out there that feels this way

Be honest. The problem with trying to twist the facts is you have to remember exactly what you told who, then your story will change a bit with each person you tell.
Sooner or later the people you talk to will talk to each other, and with the differences in what each of them were told, they will figure out that you are hiding something. Then they will either assume the worst (you're dying and hiding it) or they will lose respect for you because they now consider you a liar.
Additionally if gossip is a concern for you, the best way to thwart gossip is to lay it all out there yourself.

Why lie and who cares what people say is my opinion
They don't pay my bills or live in my body to judge me or my decisions to help me be healthiest I can be. Maybe by being upfront it may help others make this life changing decision that someone at home is not supporting them on....I think when people judge (anything) its because they don't understand and its easier to cut someone down.

I just have to say this, my granny told me "baby girl, ppl are going to tlk about u rather ur doing good or bad, they tlked about Jesus Christ and he saved us all"....and to this day I reflect on that. Ppl see others as a threat only because they are insecure in themselves and they see something in u that they wish they were or had. Now as far as those men go, girl I would tell them "back then u didnt want me, now I'm hot and u all on me"....I have a sayin, if u didnt want me whn I was fat, ur surely not gonna want me when Im skinny...lol

I definitely see a huge difference in how other people treat me now, too. It's interesting to see how others react, particularly men, because I was "invisible" for years as well. I've been lucky to have a couple of really good friends who keep pointing out to me that I am worthy of all the attention I'm getting (and always was worthy of it), and who have helped me deal with the head issues that come with the attention. I'm taking a martial arts class now (and dating the teacher, lol). I truly expected the other students to dread working with me because I'm older and "so big", but instead they seem to be anxious to work with me on stretches and sparring. The teacher told me that it's because I'm a "hot chick", but I think he might be a bit biased in my favor. Either way, it's really nice not to have people assume I'm dumb or incapable just because I'm big.

If I don't track, I don't get in enough Protein. I've been tracking at MFP for more than 2 years (since July 2011), and I've only missed one day (it did get recorded a day later). My daily record is over 500 days right now, which makes me want to keep tracking. :-)

I love that I weigh less than my husband.

I cannot relate to this.
I am so strong now; I feel like wonder woman...hahaha
Okay, I am not really that strong, but I can do pushups (well,not many but more then zero!)
I have survived 2 crossfit classes!
I can do spinning classes that last an hour (wow, I have never sweated so hard in my life though!)
I can do more of the heavy work around my little farmette
I can climb in and out of things like the bed of my truck or whatever
I can mount my tall horse from the ground
I did some mowing and raking and didn't wear out in 10 minutes
I feel like it just took all my energy before to move my 300# around. Now, I can use that strength for other things plus I have more strength I think!!!
I have lost 150# and i am sure I lost some muscle, but I have worked out through this whole journey and I think that helped alot.
I am still not a featherweight, I wear size 8 pants so not a skinny person - but normal sized - and concealed under a bit of a loose skin, I have a muscular frame.

Does anyone else get this feeling? It's quite irritating to be very honest!
Before I lost weight, I felt really strong and "hearty".. I could lift things and push heavy boxes around. Now, I feel like those silly girls at the grocery store that ask for help to lift a box of Water bottles. I AM that silly girl.
I've been studying for exams these days, and often find my bum hurting from sitting on it too long, and certain positions are no longer comfortable, because I've lost the padding!
I also have this constant irritation around my elbow, where the nerve keeps getting pinched, because I rest it on the table, just so.
It's getting ridiculous! While I like that my boyfriend can lift me, I don't like that a really strong wind can also throw me off balance. I'm wondering if this is because I've lost muscle, and really need to work out more... or if my center of gravity is off, and I need to work on my core strength.. or if this is what normal petite women deal with on a daily basis?

I love that I weigh less than my husband.

I love that I weigh less than my husband.